Never Let Go
by heatlightning
Summary: She smiled, dimples and all, and for a moment he was taken back to a time when things were a lot simpler. Easier, even. A time when there were no choices to be made at all. So he smiled back. BL One Shot. First fic. Based very, very loosely on spoilers.


The sweat rolled down his forehead. It was hard to tell if it was due to the heat, or just the nervousness that came from the fact that in less than twenty four hours, he'd be a married man.

He shot the ball and missed. Instead of going in the basket, it hit the rim and bounced off into the grass.

"This yours?"

The familiar raspy voice caught his attention, and he spun slightly to find the fiery brunette holding his basketball. Was it wrong if she still took his breath away?

"Well, well, Brooke Davis."

"Well, well, yourself. Shouldn't you be getting ready for that big thing you have going on tomorrow? Y'know, selling your soul to the devil and what not.." she teased.

"You mean getting married?"

"If that's what you want to call it."

Then she smiled, dimples and all, and for a moment he was taken back to a time when things were a lot simpler. Easier, even. A time when there were no choices to be made at all. So he smiled back.

After he gestured for her to come over, they sat down on the risers and both let out a sigh. The river court was the same as she remembered it, but Brooke made a point to mentally take it all in as it was now. She wasn't sure when the next time she'd see it this way.

"You scared?" She asked, startling them both.

"A little." He answered truthfully. "You?"

"Brooke Davis is never scared." she retorted matter-of-factly, pointing her finger at him. "Then again, I'm not the one getting married," she added, nudging him in the side.

Silence. But, surprisingly, not the bad kind. It was more like.. serenity.

"Tell me a secret." Lucas offered breathily, speaking the first word in a few minutes.

"Peyton looks beautiful," she whispered, "in her dress.. I know it's my obligation to say that since I made it, but I'm not saying this as a designer. You're going to be really proud tomorrow, Luke. She really does."

Lucas nodded, giving Brooke's knee a comforting squeeze. It didn't take a genius to realize that tomorrow would change a lot of things for everyone.

For the first time since they'd sat down, she turned her head toward his and made eye contact. "Let me see that, Luke."

"What?" He sat there dumbfounded, eyebrows furrowed.

"The ball, let me see it." She explained. At once, he picked the ball up and placed it in her hands. It was no use trying to refuse her. But he had to admit, she was a sight to see as she strutted onto the court, stilettos three inches high and wearing a dress that could only be a Brooke Davis original.

"Five dollars I make this shot.." she bet him, dribbling twice. He put his hands up in protest, but not before she continued, "With my eyes closed."

"Brooke, you're horrible at basketball." He said honestly. His intention wasn't to hurt her feelings, but Lucas wasn't about to take her money.

The brunette rolled her eyes, "Stop trying to be a gentlemen and take the bet," she said, the ball bouncing against the ground once more. "And I am not, thank you very much. Plus, I have a good feeling about this."

"Fine," he agreed. Did he really think he was going to be able to say no to Brooke Davis? "Five dollars."

Just then, she closed her eyes tight, but not before glancing up at the basket once more.

Luke felt a surge of something deep inside of him, as he was brought back to a night years ago, when he had stood on this very court, proving a point of his own.

He bit his lip when Brooke shot the ball.

"What happened?" She asked, still too afraid to open her eyes.

Lucas stared at the hoop, nostalgia nearly killing him. "It went in."

After a few moments, he spoke again. "I'm sorry, Brooke."

"For what?" She asked quietly, already knowing the answer to that question. She sat down beside him once more.

"All sorts of things." He answered. She slid an arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder, watching the sky turn a soothing kind of pink as the sun began to set and the darkness started settling in.

"It's okay. I forgive you." Her voice wavered only slightly, realizing that what she said was true.

"Wanna hear a secret?" Brooke questioned, turning her head to face him. Lucas nodded, putting his hand on her arm.

"You're going to do great. And you don't need to feel sorry. You broke my heart," she paused, chuckling if only to stop herself from crying, "But I wouldn't take that back - whatever it was that we had - for anything. I know it didn't mean much to you, but I just thought you should know.. You said that I changed more than anyone you've ever known.. well, you're why. So, like I said, I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Brooke.." he muttered, trying to get a word in.

"Lucas, I'm not trying to rehash the past. But tomorrow you'll be married and it will be even less appropriate for me to say this. And I just wanted you to know that you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for." Brooke added, not even attempting to hide the tear rolling down her cheek.

"That's not true. I messed up.."

"Maybe so.. but like I said, I forgive you. How could I not? I love you, Luke. Always have, always will."

"I love you, too." he whispered, lacing his fingers with hers as the sky continued to darken, "And you're wrong. You meant everything to me. Still do. Believe that." Lucas assured her, closing his eyes as he felt her head lower to rest on his shoulder again.

"Now can I tell you a secret?" he asked rhetorically, shifting his weight about to tighten his hold on her.

"The day that Angie left, I had this.. dream, I guess." he trailed off, recalling.

"You were in it. We were, well, married." Luke laughed slightly, feeling her smile against his shirt. "We lived in New York.. It was our anniversary. I changed my name to Davis.." he added, smiling at the memory.

"Lucas Davis?" She giggled.

"Yeah. You were.. very independent, like always. But we were happy. Really happy." he finished.

"Why did you tell me that?" she asked sadly.

"I don't want you to have any what if's, Brooke. It's too hard that way. I want you to _know_ that we would have been great together, that we could have had what Nathan and Haley have.. what you always wanted.."

Brooke smiled. "A fairy tale."

Luke nodded, "It just wasn't our time.."

"Yea, I always had really bad timing," Brooke conceded, tears stinging her eyes. The sky was black now, stars glistening above them.

She sighed reluctantly, shifting away from his warm form. "I should go.. it's getting late. P. Sawyer will kill me if I'm the reason you look like hell tomorrow." She joked, and was relieved when he smiled.

As she got up, he held her hand. Still not quite ready to let go of her, not yet..

Once her things were gathered, she stood before him, makeup running slightly, but beautiful as ever. Her eyes darted to her car, but found their way back to his when his hand fell on her waist.

"Brooke, tomorrow.. it doesn't change anything. I will still love you, you know..." he told her, wanting to make sure she knew that. Without warning, she leaned in and brushed her lips softly against his, closing her eyes when she pulled away.

He stood there startled, but still refused to move his hand from her hip until he absolutely had to. "Why?" he whispered.

"Because I wouldn't have been able to go on the rest of my life without doing that one last time." she answered the blue eyed boy, lifting her hands to straighten out his shirt. "And because I love you, too." She felt her eyes well with tears, shaking her head with a small smile. "Couldn't stop if I wanted to."

Lucas pulled her into him, holding her close. His chin pressed down against the top of her head as he felt her shake silently, and his eyes closed as her tears soaked through his shirt. It was in that moment he realized that if he could, he would never let go.

It was Brooke who pulled away first,. She didn't break their contact completely. "Get some sleep, Luke." She ordered, removing her hand from his shoulder.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked, watching as she attempted to dry her eyes.

"Probably. But if not, you know where to find me." The brunette winked, flashing a dimpled smile his way before turning around and making her way home.

"Brooke, call me, if you need anything.. okay?" Lucas called after her, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets.

"Count on it." She replied, biting her lip coyly.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Hey! Brooke.. g'night." he continued hopefully.

"Good night, Lucas." she smiled.

And that was enough for him.


End file.
